Foolish Pride
by Maji
Summary: A brief look at the life of Jesse "Stone" Knight. Set during the movie. Everyone in the world was looking for Lightning the day he dissapeared. For his family though it was a true moment of panic. One shot.


**Just a little one shot centered around one of my favorite OC's. Stone is a stoic type who doesn't take anything from anybody. He's sharp and emotionless and more than a little cold but even he has his flaws. A brief look into the flawed life of Stone, set during the movie. Also take note that Stone is more than what he seems. That will explain enough... All in due time my friends, all in due time**

"It's questionable as to whether or not this is a publicity stunt at this time, though sponsors could not attest to the whereabouts of Lightning McQueen after his driver showed up at the California track without him. It's speculated that this may be just a very big stunt or hoax being pulled for the sake of the biggest race in decades but fans continue to question the possibility of fowl pla-"

The voice abruptly clicked off as Stone shut the t.v. off and turned his attention back to the elevator music he was listening to. To him there was no thing worse than being placed on hold. He had a simple question which required a very simple answer. What in the hell was taking so long to have someone come up with one... It was rude and more than a little annoying.

"Can I help you sir?" The woman's voice that came back over the line was somewhat nasal and he could catch the snappy tone as soon as she spoke. He was nothing if not incredibly sharp about picking up tones and moods...

"Yes, I've been holding for over an hour waiting for your office. All I want to know is have you heard from Lighting?" He demanded simply. He was down to contacting the boy's lawyer's office... He hated lawyers but if he was in any kind of trouble that would have been the first place a sensible person would have called. He had Ripper going through hospitals between where he had been and California... Considering the couple hundred mile distance that was a lot of hospitals... He hadn't the patients for it so he put Ripper on it. Ripper who could smooth talk his way past any silly privacy law.

"Sir we have no comment and at this time Lightning's location is-"

"I know I know, it's unknown." Stone near snarled, crossing the room for the hundredth time. "Look, I'm not a reporter, I'm not some fanatic fan, I'm not even from the racing staff. What I want to know is where is my child?"

Her voice softened just a bit when she spoke again, a deep sigh just on the edges of it. "I'm sorry sir. I would tell you more if I could. He hasn't contacted us and we haven't heard any other reports... He may just be hiding out to avoid the press coverage. I'm sure he's alright."

Stone sighed heavily and closed his eyes, sinking just a bit lower on his tires. That didn't sound like Lightning. Lightning would eat up the press coverage. Anything to be seen. That was their Lighting...

"Look... If I give you a name and number can you just... Contact me if he calls? I know that's against your policy but... I just want to know he's alright. You don't even have to tell me where he is. Just that he's safe."

The woman on the other end hesitated but after a time agreed. He gave her his information and quietly hung up the phone. Technically speaking Lighting wasn't his. But he had known the boy since he was just five... He had been to every little league race. Every school event. Every time the boy needed him...

He had lived right next door to the McQueens their entire life...

"Uncle Stone?" He jumped just a bit as he glanced at the doorway. A replica of Lightning stood there, studying Stone worriedly. "Is everything alright?"

"Every thing's fine Jordon... I've asked you repeatedly not to do that."

The dark sports car gave a sheepish grin and shrugged a bit. "Sorry..." Jordon was Lightning's twin brother. But for color which Jordon tended to change about once a week the two were identical right down to that cocky grin... Though unlike Lightning, Jordon had a habit of being absolutely quiet until he was right on top of you.

This week Jordon seemed to be in an all natural phase... He had, had himself buffed back down to his natural paint color of jet black. The color fit the brothers better than the red that Lightning tended to favor...

"Anything?" Jordon questioned, pulling a light sigh from Stone.

"I'm afraid not. How's your mother?"

"Calling the physic hot line..." Jordon grumbled. Stone flinched a bit.

"That bad?"

"She's convinced a serial killer has gotten ahold of Lightning and is going to sell his engine on ebay." Jordon reported softly.

Stone couldn't help but roll his eyes but he understood her fear. Lightning's mother had always been a little different. He wouldn't exactly say crazy... More pleasantly eccentric. She believed that horse shoes were lucky and that owls at the windows meant death... There had been a barn owl hanging around the house for weeks which made her nervous.

When Lightning disappeared she had gone into a panic... She was a sweet woman but a little old fashioned.

Not that Lightning's sudden disappearance wasn't a worry to all of them. Stone had to admit the serial killer theory was beginning to sound more and more rational. This wasn't like Lightning... Or at least the Lightning he remembered.

They had, had a horrible argument about six months ago. They both said things that neither one of them meant. If Stone had known then what he knew now he would have supported Lightning's racing career more. Not that he would ever admit that. They were two stubborn beings which was why Lightning's contact with them was restricted to a thirty minute call to his mother about once a month... Lightning had cut them off. Entirely and completely...

He should have expected that. After all Lightning was his father's child... Still it was troubling.

"Did you try his agent?" Jordon pressed after a moment.

"Yep... And his Lawyer... And his Physician. Shrink. Every supplier of anything he would need I could think of... Fuel, tires, parts..." Stone sighed heavily and sagged just a bit on his tires. "It's like he just dropped off the face of the Earth..."

Jordon nodded a bit and sighed a glance given out the doorway. "I'd better go check on Mom. I left her with Kody and there's only so much I'm willing to force upon Kodes..."

Stone nodded and snatched his grill just a bit towards the door. "Go on. I'll keep making calls. Something may turn up..."

Jordon nodded and quickly headed back out the door and across the street to his own home as Stone turned his attention back to making calls. He was down to contacting old friends of Lightning's to see if they had heard anything. Though when it came down to it Lightning just didn't have any friends. Stone couldn't think of one person that Lightning would go to if he needed a place to crash. Mac perhaps... There had been the possibility that it had been a publicity stunt. That was even his first impression of the events. Before he even worried Lightning's mother he had taken into consideration that Mac had just dropped Lightning off at a hotel somewhere and then gone on to the race.

The first call he had made in this little search of his had been Mack. He hadn't really been worried until he spoke to Mack. The truck had been hysterically worried. Any thoughts that it was a publicity stunt died there. Mack didn't know where Lightning was. That was that.

Stone's world was off balance and he didn't like it. It was a feeling that had hung on for the past six months... A member of his pack was missing. With the reports that his missing family member... His missing pack mate may be actually hurt? In danger and alone somewhere? It threw his world entirely off kilter.

Stone flipped to a number and for a moment paused, reciting a little prayer before he dialed. He hadn't been on speaking terms with a any religion since the death of his wife... But lord knew he needed it now...

XXXXXXXXXXX

Radiator Springs.

Nearly a week of panic and worry and he had turned up in Radiator Springs.

Stone stared at the screen as if it were an Alien speaking instead of a reporter. He didn't even know how to react to the information. He wanted to be angry but all he really felt was pure and simple relief. He wanted to yell but who was he going to yell at? No one... Lightning was his own person. He was of age and perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Still... He wanted to yell.

Frustration because there was no way that Lightning would ever even know how worried they had all been. Beside him Lightning's mother was parked in front of the screen crying softly as they watched the end of the Piston Cup. She was happy her son wasn't dead.

Jordon looked irritated with the situation but otherwise unreadable. Lightning wasn't one of them anymore... So what right did they have to be this affected?

Stone shook off the feeling and sighed softly. He looked good. Refreshed even. Happy... The beginning of the race had been a disaster but now that he had settled into the groove of it he looked happy.

No cheering went on in that living room, all to wrapped up in their own thoughts to pay to much attention to the screen. Was only the last lap that Stone even took notice of. Lightning could have won... When had his child grown up?

He gave another shake and slowly got to his tires, leaving the family to watch the replays and reports on how everything had officially turned out. As Stone stepped into the other room a soft laugh broke out as Chick was booed off the stage.

Stone chuckled softly to himself and picked up the kitchen phone, dialing a number that had been burned into his memory.

So lost in his own thoughts he barely noticed when Mack's cheerful voice answered the phone.

"Mack... How is he?" Stone questioned softly. It took a few moments for the truck to comprehend who was speaking before he went on happily.

"Oh hi Stone! Didn't catch your voice. He's alright. Met up with some good people..." Mack faded off just a bit, though after a moment he seemed to have distanced himself from the group just a bit. He could always count on that truck to give him the details.

"He was arrested for wreck-less driving in Radiator Springs. It was all a pretty big misunderstanding but he's was never in any danger Stone. I'm sure he didn't mean to worry anyone but I don't think he realized just how big the media had made his disappearance until we were back on the track and all the reporters swarmed in." Stone sighed a bit and stared at the ceiling for a few long moments.

"Those people in the pits? They were new..."

"Never miss a race do ya there Stone?" Mack questioned with a soft laugh in his voice. "They were from Radiator Springs. I think the place was good for him. He's more relaxed ya know? Happier... Want me to get him for ya?"

He always asked. Stone always said no. That had been their system for the past six months. Is he alright? Is he eating ok? Are you taking care of him? Then Mack would offer to find Lightning and give him the phone. Stone would refuse. Make up some excuse. Get off the line as quickly as possible.

"I need to hear his voice." Stone finally muttered.

Mack was quiet for a moment, obviously surprised. But after only a few seconds he could tell Mack was on the move. "Hey Lightning! Phone call for you!"

Stone could hear the soft laughter and ruckus of a garage in the background. Lightning was surrounded by friends. He had always been the loner... That was something he had never had at home...

"Hello?" Again the voice startled Stone out of his thoughts. Lightning...

"Are you alright?"

There was a stunned silence on the line. As if the simple questioned had taken the breath of both ends of the line away. "Uncle Stone?"

The softly squeaked voice was one of shock and surprise. The noise on the other end of the line went silent. As if Lightning had either driven out of the room or simply silenced everyone so he could talk.

"Are you alright?" Stone questioned again.

"I'm fine... Hows-" He shouldn't have done it... He felt guilty as soon as he hung up the phone. He knew Lightning was alright. That was all he needed to know. As soon as the words 'I'm fine' had come across he had hung up the phone.

After a few moments the phone began to ring. Now that surprised him... Lightning had a temper. He thought that would be it. Hanging up on the boy would piss him off and they wouldn't hear from him again until it was time for him to check in with his mother, but the caller id popped up with the name Mack...

He let it ring. Didn't know what to do with it... The phone kept ringing until Jordon called from the other room, asking Stone if he was going to get that. The answering machine finally picked up.

"Uncle Stone? Uncle Stone I know you're there..." Lightning's voice sounded strained. It was now silent but for Lightning's soft voice on the other line. "Uncle Stone please... I'm sorry. I never meant to worry you. I didn't know it hit national news until I got back to the track. Please pick up the phone..."

Stone squeezed his eyes shut and gave out a deep sigh. Pride wouldn't let him. Pride wouldn't allow him to reach out to a child he had raised. True Lightning was an adult now but to Stone he would always be that cocky ten year old kid who use to follow him around going on and on about his favorite racers... That kid who use to always make him laugh.

"Uncle Stone?" Lightning was still on the line. The answering machine was going to cut him off in a few minutes. "I know you're angry... But please just pick up the phone..." After a few moments he seemed to give up, a rattled sigh echoing through the phone as he went on. "Tell Mom and Jordon that I love them? I never meant to hurt any of you..."

Stone gave out a sigh his resolve breaking. Lightning was trying to talk to him. At this point he was being petty... Hell the boy sounded close to tears and he couldn't even pick up a phone...

As Lightning was bidding farewell his resolve snapped. He snatched up the phone... To little to late.

As he called to Lightning he heard the soft click of the line going dead and on the opposite end of the country Lightning never heard him.

Stone silently settled the phone back on his cradle. That was it... That brief little window had shut again. Neither of them would call again. All to foolish pride...

"Uncle Stone? Who was that?" Jordon questioned softly from the doorway, causing Stone to jump just a bit. "No one Jordon... No one..."

Jordon gave Stone a puzzled look though left it alone, quietly turning around and heading back out to the living room.

Stone sighed and silently grabbed the tape from the answering machine. Toss that one up to foolish pride...

XXXXXXXXXXX

Lightning stared at the phone as he had been for the past half hour. Hoping it would ring. Knowing it wouldn't... Wanting to call again but unwilling to break the stalemate that had been in place for the past six months.

He couldn't bring himself to dial it again. It had been a moment of panic that he had placed the first call. Panic that this stalemate would never end. Now he knew it wouldn't.

"Lightning are you alright? You left in a bit of a hurry."

Lightning's gaze snatched up as Doc approached. The older car stared at him as if he could see right through him, concern written across his features. Lightning opened his mouth to speak but not a sound came out. Doc's look turned to one of somewhat understanding. He understood something had happened... That they didn't know each other well enough to discuss it. They had been butting heads the past week...

Now that they were at an easy truce their relationship could be called that of friendship... A racer's crew chief was family after all. Still though Lightning just couldn't take the advise that people tended to want to throw his way when it came to his family.

As much as he would have liked to have confided all of his problems and all of his worries to someone... He didn't know Doc well enough yet. The last thing he wanted was for someone he finally seemed to have earned the respect of looking at him any differently... His problems were his own.

"Everything's fine. Just had to talk to someone I use to know."

Doc nodded a bit, eyes narrowing just a bit as if trying to see him better, though in the end shrugged it off. "The press wants to talk to you about the race if you're up for it. They took Strip Weathers to St. Mary's hospital if you want to go see him later."

Lightning smiled and nodded, following the older car out of the room. "That would be great Doc. Wanna get the others together and hit an all night diner tonight? I know everybody's got to be hungry and I know this great place up on 6th."

"Sounds good to me." Doc commented simply as they rejoined the Radiator Springs group who at the moment were being surrounded by reporters. After all it wasn't as if they had anywhere else to be that night...

Toss that one up to foolish pride...


End file.
